Electrically-operated starting-vaporizer for combustion-engines.



A. A. LOW.

ELEGTRIGALLY OPERATED STARTING VAPORIZER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1907. RENEWED BBQ. 1, 1908. 909,9 1 7.

Patented Jan. 19, 1909.

Q J v k WITNESSES I I INVENTOI? mew I-IH Abboflz gfustwzow Z5 M ELEGTEICALLY-OPERAQ ETD' $EAJRTING-VAXOEFLZEETE- CUItS'BUQllEQN-ENGINEQQ Specification of Letters E'sten'e'.

Batcnted Jan, 19, 1909.

Application filed June 8, 1907, Serial No. 877,849 Renewed Deceniher 1, 1983. Serial No. 465,580.

gines require, in their operation, two kinds of fuel, one of a readily volatile character,

such as gasolene for starting the engine, and

the other, of aless volatile character, such as kerosene, for maintaining it in operation.

It has been proposed to supply kerosene to an engine for runningit, but, in practice, great difliculty has been experienced in starting the engine quickly with a fuel. so unvola tile, and, for this reason, gasolene is resorted to for initially puttingthe engine into operation, after which the gasolene' feed. is discontinued and kerosene supplied for continuing the o eration of. said engine. It hasbeen observe furthermore, that when kerosene is thrown against a. heated surface, a certain quantity of it is not vaporized, the

surplus liquid running into the lower part of the vaporizing chamber.

The present invention permits the employmentof kerosene for both starting. and running the engine, and is particularly efiicacious in producing a complete volatilization of the kerosene, although it will be under stood that the device is ap licable for use with the more volatile fluids, such as gasolene or alcohol.

The object of the invention is to quickly heat a start-in vaporizer, and to collect the liquid fuel which is not converted into vapor by the first contact thereof with a hot surface, the liquid so collected being free to spread or difiiuse'itself over a comparatively large area, preferably heated, placed in the path of the air or vapor which to-be admitted to the combustion cylinder.

My vaporizer is heated electrically in order to place it in condition tor service quickly,- and as heretofore stated} said vaporizer enables one kind of acomparatively unvolatile fuehsuch as kerosene, to be used for starting and operating. the engine.

lIn the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one practical embodimentof the invention, but the construction shown-therein; is to be understood asillustrative only, and not as defining. the limits of the invention.

Figure 1. is a vertical longitudinal sectiontlirough a vaporizer embodying. m inven-- tion and. shown in operative relation to a part ot a combustion chamber. Fin. 2 is a horizontal section onthe line 2--2 0? Fig. 1.-

The engine cylindeiglk, is shown in Fig; l having: apistonohamber, a, and a cooling chamber, a", the latter beingr'adaptedfor the circulation of a. cooling agent, such as water, around the piston chamber, a.

Charges of combustible vapor are admitted to-the chamber, a, by the opening move ment of an intake valve, C, and suchchargesor vapor are adapted. to be exploded in said chamber, a, by the operation 01"" the igniter or spark plug, D.

'llhe valve, {his supplied with' the charges Oft'itllllllllSblblG vapor through an intake port,

0, which is provided in a head, B, the latter being secured by bolts, 25, 50 the cylinder, A, said head, B,- having a circulating chamber, 5, for acoolingr medium. is secured an elcow, E, which is provided with a guide boss, c, and through this boss passes the stem, d, of the intake valve, 0.- This valve steinis provided with a collar, (i on which acts a coiled spring, 01', whereby the valve is adapted to he closed. normally on its seat, 0. The valve, Q, is operated positively by suitable mechanical connections with. moving part ofthe engine, and as one means for operating said intake valve, I have shown a lever, E Said lever is provided at one-end with an adjusting screw,-e, adapted for enga ement with the valve rod, (Z, and the other (1 of said lever is equipped with another adiustino screw, 1, with which engages areciprocating rod, F, the latter being operated by the engine. As shown in Fig. l, the elbow, E, is provided with a To the head, B,

latter being flanged and bolted casing, Gr, so as to close the open end thereof,

are contained within .form and size so as to of the desired capacity for mixing airand vapor to v adapted to be admitted to the engine cylin- 15 a handle, b The box or casing, G, is open at the end electrical current,

v,sio'n on shelf, the memMr, K posits to thle' head, I, whereas the member,

bracket lug, e in which is supported a i .0111111 claimed herein.

The working parts of my new vaporizer a box or casing, G, which is flanged and bolted, or otherwise united, to the intake end of the elbow, E. This-box or casing may be of any suitable produce a chamber, 9,

produce the combustible charges der. It'is preferred to provide the box or easing,'G, with a chamber, 9, into which the exhaust from the engine is admitted by suitable circulating pipes, 1', whereby the waste heat and gases may be utilized for heating the vaporizer when the tion. The box or -casing,

engine 18 in opera- G, is shown as havin' a lip or flange, h, which provides an air infiet, It, tothe chamber, g, and the volume" of air admitted through said inlet isadapted to be regulated by a pivoted valve or regulator, II, the latter being'shownas having for its convenient operation.

the e1bow,,E, a head, I, the to thebox or opposite to its connection with and this open end is closed by and to close one end of the circulating chamber, g. Said head, I, is provided with an jextension, I, which is I "with the head, and it therefrom into the'lower preferably integral projects inwardly part of the cham-' her, 9'. The extension, I is quite close to the bottom of the vaporizing box or casing, G, and said head, I, withits extension, I,' ferms'the support for the parts of the electrical; vaporizer to be presently described.

Lg'lhe head, I, is provided, preferably, with an internally threaded boss, 2'', which constitutes a "socket for the reception of the male threaded plug, J. This plug is adapted to be screwed detachably to the vaporizer, andv asis usual inelectrical connections, said plug provided with a conducting cord or wire, j, and with a contact,j.

I y. new vaporizer contemplates the empioyment of a vaporizing element composed hfgthemembers, K, K, the. same being preferably made in one piece and composed of a metal adapted to be quickly heated by an such for example as copp erl} Thej members, K, K, of the vaporizing-element are arrangedat right angles to each othei'ya'nd theyare placed. in coopera tiverelation to ,the head, ;I, and its exten- It'is preferred to place m a vertical position and op- 'lect thereon.

.as clearly shown in K. iscppesite to th-e'shelf or extension, I;

co er?" The member, K, is provided on its upper surface with ribs, corrugations or otherwise constructed to increase the area of the heating surface for the liquid which may colis provided with intersecting grooves or channels, k, which give the desired corrugations to such surface, thus increasing the area of the member, K, over which the liquid is free to spread or diffuse itself. Any suitable means may be employed for clamping the-vaporizing element to the head, I, and its shelf or extension, I, but, as shown, I employ screws, m. The member, K, is provided with a marginal lip or flange, adapted to form a drain gutter around the edge ofsaid member, and from this member leads a drain pipe, Z, having a draw-off valve, Z, whereby surplus liquid maybe discharged from the-member, K.

I employ means for electrically heating the vaporizing element. Said electrical heating meansmay be arranged to cooperate with the member, K, or with the member, K, but it is preferred to employ an electrical heater which engages both of the members for the required for converting kerosene into a combustible vapor adapted for admixture with a1r.

Various forms of electrical heating devices may be employed, but as shown in Fig. l, the heating means consists of 'a resistance wire or ribbon, O, which is doubled or folded around a core, f0, of insulating material, such as mica. The resistance 'wire or ribbon and its core are arranged between the member, K, and the head, I, and they are extended between the member, K, and its shelf, I, Fig. 1. Resistance 0 is insulated from electrical contact with the members, K, K, by a-n insulating layer, 9, and said resistance is likewise insulated from electrical contact with the head, I, and its extension, I, by an insulating layer, 9 One end of the electrical resistance is adapted for electrical connection with the contact, j, of the plug, J, but the return lead, 0, of said electricalresistance, O, is extended between layers, g, 9 of insulating material. Said layers of ins'ulating material, 9, g, 9 are composed preferably of mica.

.The electrical resistance is clamped between the parts, I, I, and the members of the vaporizing element whereby the heat developed in the resistance by the passage of an electrical current therethrough is adapted to'be-transmitted to and absorbed by the parts, K,.K.

One means for supplying a combustible liouidto the'vaporizer' consists of a jet noz- As shown more clearly in Fig.

purpose of quickly heating the vaporizing element to the temperature .zle, G, which is attached to the elbow,

seen-i7 is The liquid combustible is supplied under pressure to the nozzle, G, preferably by the operation of a suitable pump; The jet of liquid is forced under pressure across the elbow, E, and the box or casin G, so as to strike against the member, h, of the vaporizing element, thereby converting the liquid into vapor. ever, is not vaporized, and it rebounds from or is deflected by the member, K, upon the other member, K. The liquid which accumulates on. said member, K, diiiuses itself over the corrugated surface, it, whereby the liquid on the member, K, is heated by the resistance which extends between the parts, K, I. The liquid combustible is fully vaporized, and it is combined with air so as to produce the combustible charge adapted to be admitted to the chamber, a, of the cylinder when the valve, C, is open, in the manner well understood by those skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the class described, a

vaporizingelement composed of heat-absorbing metal of high conductivity, and having two surfaces at an angle to each other, one of'said surfaces being corrugated to increase its surface area, and electrical means for directly heating said element.

2. In a device of the class described, a vaporizingelement composed of heat-absorb ing metal of high conductivity and comprising two members, one of which is adapted to collect surplus hydrocarbon discharged against said other member, and electrical means for directly heating said element.

3. In a device of the class described, a vaporizing elementcomposed of two members, at an angle to each other, one of said members being adapted to collect surplus hydrocarbon discharged against said other member, means for bringing a hydrocarbon into contact with the said other member, and means for heating the element.

4. In a device of the class described, a-

A portion of this-liquid, how-' 6. In a device of the class described, a metallic vaporizing element comprising an upright member, a collecting member having a grooved or corrugated surface over which a hydrocarbon is free to spread, and electrical means for directly heating the metal composing both members of said element.

7. In a device of the class described, an electrically heated vaporizing surface, means for collecting the surplus fuel dischar ed against or supplied to said surface, and e cotrically heated means coiiperating with said collecting means for vaporizing the surplus fuel collected thereby.

8. In a device of the class described, a chamber having means for admitting air thereto, a vaporizing element in said chamber, said element consisting of a plurality of heat-absorbing metallic members, one of which is adapted to collect a liquid, an electrical resistance in cooperative relation to said members of the vaporizing element, whereby said element is electrically heated by the direct application of a heating resistance thereto, and means for projecting a liquid against one of said members of the element.

9. In a device of the class described, a chamber having means for admitting air thereto, a vaporizing element in said chamber and composed ofmetallic heat-absorbing members at an angle to each other, one

of which is adapted to collect a liquid,

means for draining surplus liquid from said collecting member, an electrical resistance cooperating with both of said members, and means for projecting a liquid combustible against the other member of the vaporizing clement.

10. In a device of the class described, a chamber having means for admitting air thereto, a vaporizing element in said chamber, said element consisting of two members at an angle to each other, one of said members extending outwardly into the chamber and is adapted to collect a liquid discharged from the other member, and an electrical resistance cooperating with both members of said vaporizing element.

11. In a device of the class described, a chambered casing or box, a head closing said box and having an inwardly extending shelf, an angular vaporizing element cotipeiating with the head and the shelf hereof, and an insulated electrical resistance clamped between the vaporizing element and the head and its shelf.

12. In a device of the class described, a chambered casing or box, a head closing said box and having an inwardly extending shelf,

tinuous with the upright member and arl a connecting plug attached to said head, an

V be): or casing, a collecting vaporizing elesingular vaporizing element, and an eleccorrugated surface, and means'for e1ectric-. 10

trical' resistance connected electrically with ally heating both members of said element.

the plug and confined between the Vaporiz- In testimony whereof I have signed my ing element and the head and its shelf. name to this specification inthe presence of 13. In a device of the class described, a two subscribing witnesses.

ABBOT A. LOW.

ment therein and comprising two members Witnesses:

at an angle to each other, one member being M. J. HATHAWAY,

provided with a drain gutter and with a I GEO. WELLING GIDDINGS. 

